Sunshine On A Rainy Day
by MeganLucy26
Summary: "don't forget they love you too, they're going to need you now more than ever and vice versa; they're sunshine on a rainy day, you're going to need that." / 11x22: the nightmare within the nightmare post-ep / does contain spoilers


just a little something following the events of the season eleven finale, so beware of spoilers if you haven't seen the absolutely mind blowing forty minutes of pure tv gold yet. after everything that was said at comic-con i feel like there is definitely more to the story before we get the complete truth of what's going on with puppito, particularly because of it being you-know-who who's so far being portrayed as the mastermind behind everything. anyway, hope everyone likes this and it makes hiatus seem just a little shorter! -megan x

 **-bones-**

It's Cam who drives him home, who watches him warily as she shuts off the car in the driveway a little after 3am, waiting for the realisation, the reaction, anything to let her know he's acknowledged what has happened.

He'd been in no state to walk, let alone drive after returning to the Jeffersonian not long after he'd left, they'd all been re-examining the evidence, desperately searching for an alternative explanation, hoping he'd give the news that Zack was asleep in his room at the psychiatric hospital, and had been every night since he'd been admitted.

They'd known though, known before he returned, head hung, but eyes still dry as he delivered the news. They say stoically for the next hour, processing silently, knowing they should be searching but unable to accept that Brennan was in any danger.

Angela had been the first to break, sobbing first into her hands, as Hodgins had watched on helplessly, and then into Booth's shoulder, when he'd pulled her up and against him. Cam wasn't sure whether Angela knew the source of her tears: Brennan's abduction or the fact that Zack was the mastermind behind it.

Aubrey had finally stood, cell already in hand and ringing, Caroline Julian's shrill threats reaching everyone's ears seconds later. Not even thirty minutes had passed before the prosecutor was knocking on the door of the nearest judge, warrant for the psychiatric hospital's security cameras and those on the streets surrounding Graham Reynolds' shop, as well as a request to seize Dr Zachary Uriah Addy's belongings and patient files, including his psychologists notes, in hand.

The Medico-Legal Lab's own security feeds were retrieved and discarded uselessly, joining the seemingly ever growing pile of evidence that had led them to a dead end, each one reached more frustrating than the last.

With the news that each warrant had been signed and everything requested would be delivered to the Jeffersonian first thing that morning, along with every available intern, the group finally dispersed in the hopes of a few hours sleep.

Booth had been silent the entire journey home, remained silent as they climbed from the car and made their way towards the front door, entering to find Max waiting on the other side, Hank drowsy in his arms. The younger man gladly accepted his son from the older man's arms, shaky breaths released against the warm cheek of his youngest child.

"He has her doesn't he?"

Allowing Booth a moment with his son, Max turned to Cam, the question filled with dread.

"Yes."

"Who is he?"

"It's Zack, Max. Zack has Bones–"

His voice broke on her name, tears finally escaping, cascading down his cheeks and dampening the brown tufts of hair covering his sons head. The baby remained unfazed, hands clutching the collar of Booth's shirt, babbling quietly.

"Zack?"

"Addy. Dr Zack Addy, he worked–" Cam supplied.

"At the Jeffersonian, he was Tempe's assistant, _son of a bitch_ , he's the one who worked with the cannibal, right?"

"Yes, he was institutionalised afterwards. He's escaped from the hospital before, he'd be able to pull it off again, every piece of evidence, both physical and from the notes Dr Faulk provided us with from Dr Brennan's session, points to Zack."

"Why the hell was she alone? I thought someone was always going to be with her, why wasn't anyone at the lab with her?"

"We argued, Max. I arrested Dr Faulk, I thought it was him and I needed to protect her but Bones– she was confident it wasn't him, we argued, I told her to prove it, and she went back to the lab, we don't do that anymore."

"Do what, son?"

"Run from each other. Last time– last time we argued and Bones went to the lab– she almost– her heart stopped twice, I almost lost her and now I have and the last thing we did was argue–"

"Booth–"

"It's my fault, I should have gone with her, Bones is never wrong about something like that– I'm so sorry, Max–"

"It isn't your fault, son, okay? Listen to me, we're going to get her back, you're not going to lose her, Tempe's a fighter, she's not going to give up."

"Zack is smart, Seeley, but Dr Brennan is smarter, she has you fighting for her and that's what's going to give us the advantage; Zack is clueless when it comes to human interactions and Dr Brennan isn't, she's learnt from the best, and the two of you are going to outsmart him, we're going to outsmart him."

"I need– I need her to know that I love her–"

"She knows, son, she's always known it, just because you argued doesn't make it any less true. And, you know, for some reason my daughter loves you a hell of a lot too, don't ever forget that, Booth. _Psycho-intern-boy_ can never take that away from you."

With a reassuring pat to his son-in-laws shoulder, Max moved to take a sleeping Hank back from his father, quietening the baby's snuffles with a quick kiss to his forehead as he moved to return him to his crib, the small figure of his granddaughter in the archway stopped him in his tracks.

"Christine, sweetheart, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I heard talking. Hi, Daddy!"

"Christine–" his sob was cut short by his daughter flinging herself into his arms, little limbs wrapping tightly around him, even tinier lips pressed to his cheek.

"Where's Mommy?"

There was a beat of silence, the four year old expectantly waiting for an answer, her brow furrowing, the picture of her mother, when no one answered.

"Cam–"

"Seeley, no, you need to be the one to tell her. I'll be here, like– like Sweets and Angela were when Dr Brennan had to– but it has to come from you."

Sighing, he moved towards the couch, sitting with Christine cradled in his lap as Cam moved to sit beside him.

"Christine, baby– you know the case Mommy and Daddy have been working?" When she nodded he continued, holding her tighter against him, "Someone took Mommy from the lab while she was working, baby, but we know who did it, sweetheart, and we're going to find him and we're going to bring Mommy home, okay?"

"I want, Mommy–"

"I know, sweetheart, Mommy wishes she could be here with you; she loves you so much, Christine, you and Hank and Parker, so so much that she doesn't understand it–"

"And you, Daddy, Mommy loves you too, a whole bunch, she told me."

"Did she now?"

"Yes, she said we can love a lot of people but we can only love one person the most. Mommy said she loves you the most, Daddy, I told her I love Michael the most."

His daughter's innocent statement made him chuckle, helpless to anything but pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to her forehead, the action bought her to giggles as she wriggled against him, tears still wet against her cheeks.

"Booth?"

"Yeah, Max?"

"Don't forget they love you too, they're going to need you now more than ever and vice versa; they're sunshine on a rainy day, you're going to need that."


End file.
